The Masks of Nyarlathotep

Prologue: The God of Mitnal

The Investigators

The Telegram

In March, 1923, Helena Hamilton received a telegram from Jackson Elias, a former associate, requesting her assistance with research into a cult of Ah-Puch near Campeche, Mexico. He included requests for firearms, gin, Lucky Strikes, and all of the information available on Walter Kimbell.

Helena notified Beryl Blakely another friend of Elias, and the two of them contacted Iris Grenwald, whom they met at a bar the night before. Iris decided to come as an excuse to go bird-watching in the Yucatan. Beryl, fearing that Elias may be in trouble, contacted her lawyer, Cornelius Wellington.

Gathering Booze and Clues

Helena provided the alcohol, stating proudly, “I’ve already got the gin.” Weapons and Lucky Strikes were no problem to obtain, due to the Investigator’s collective wealth.

The team determined that Walter Kimbell is being sought by both the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers for an AWOL status, multiple thefts, gun running, and possible involvement with Poncho Villa. Armed with this knowledge, the Beryl, Helena, and Iris left for the Yucatan. Cornelius stayed behind in New York.

The Yucatan

During the ship journey, the investigators studied basic Spanish. Their rooms in the Hotel San Miguel were paid for by Prospero Press. On the night of their arrival, the investigators met a man in a bar who mentioned that his friend, Ricardo, had bought an antique gun recently. The investigators confronted Ricardo, who said he’d bought the gun from a man named Esteban (one of Kimbell’s aliases), who comes to town every few weeks. He would not return for another 3 weeks.

The next morning, the Investigators went to the train station to meet Guillermo. Guillermo gave them a letter from Elias thanking them for their help and telling them to get off of the train at the Mile #126 marker. He also provided them with passes to ride a flatbed train car.

On the way to their stop, the investigators spoke with Maria, an elderly local woman praying the rosary. She said that several men had gone missing recently, and that many believed the god, Ah Puch, had risen from hell in the pyramids nearby. She begged the players not to get off of the train. When they refused, she gave Beryl her rosary for protection.

Ah Puch Appears

The players exited the train and followed the river to Elias’ camp, finding it ransacked and deserted. As the players debated their next course of action, strange noises filled the jungle and a dark figure with an owl’s head appeared. The figure claimed to be Ah Puch and ordered the investigators to leave behind a sacrifice of food and alcohol. Initially fearful of this turn of events, the investigators began to doubt what they were seeing, and Helena noticed that the figured claiming to be Ah Puch was speaking Spanish, while the Mayans did not.

Ah Puch then summoned three “demonios”, men whose bodies were painted in skeleton motifs, to scare the investigators. One of the demonios threw a tiny explosive at Iris’ head, stunning her. The investigators fired on their enemies, who began to flee into the woods. They captured three of the men, while one disappeared into the night. After interrogating the men, the investigators learned that Kimbell was at a nearby pyramid, hiding from the authorities and scaring away superstitious locals with his Ah Puch routine. One of the men, Jose, told the investigators that the owner of the camp had been captured and taken to the pyramid. The investigators ordered Jose to lead them to the pyramid.

The Pyramid

The investigators allowed Jose to leave when they arrived at the pyramid after he promised to notify the police, stating that he would be a dead man for letting Kimbell down. Iris spotted a hole cut into the side of the pyramid through her binoculars, and the investigators decided to sneak in. Helena started a fire with her lantern and a Chinese firework, then ran into the pyramid with Iris. Beryl snuck into a nearby car and managed to take out a couple of Kimbell’s men as she sped away.

In the pyramid, Iris and Helena discovered a cache of weapons. They explored a long hallway, and discovered Jackson Elias and two other men inside a room with a makeshift lock. The pair tried unsuccessfully to pick the lock before Iris shot it off with her handgun. The group fled the pyramid to meet up with Beryl. On the way out, Helena dropped a lit firework into the ammunition. Regrouped and in the car, the investigators sped off into the jungle as an massive explosion rocked the pyramid.

As they approached an old bridge in the jungle, the investigators encountered Walter Kimbell and some men in another car. Kimbell ordered the investigators to surrender. When they refused, a car chase through the jungle erupted. Iris shot out one of Kimbell’s tires, and Helena dropped firework under the car, causing the driver to wreck into a ravine.

As the Investigators turned around to head toward Campeche, Beryl noticed an albino owl waiting patiently on Kimbell’s wrecked car.

Upon reaching the city, the group notified the Federales of the events in the jungle, then spent several days with Jackson Elias on the beach. Elias said that the investigators’ remaining time in Campeche would be on his dime. Elias left early, leaving behind a note saying that he was heading for Morocco to work on another story.